Gaurdian Angel
by Nitefyre
Summary: Shepherd told Tali she always had a special heart.  A heart that is different from others in more ways than one


Disclaimer: I Don't Own Mass Effect

Guardian Angel

by

Nitefyre

The streets of the Presidium were a glowing blaze of the orange flame. The once beautiful gardens were now burnt and withered. The bodies of hundreds of C-Sec officers laid on the ground eyes and faces wide in terror. In the mist of the carnage stood the man that all thought would be their savior. The man who had over come death, the man had done the impossible. Now this man , Shepherd was nothing more than pawn of the monsters he sought to destroy – the Reapers. His crew, his team, his family laid before him alive but barely. They struggled to reach him, to find the man behind the monster that had possessed him.

Tali coughed as she slowly returned to the waking world she could hear the gun fire in the near distance. The smell of the smoke and burning bodies filled the air filters her suit as slow sat up. Next to her Garrus was in a heated debate with the rest of the crew, something went wrong, something terrible had happened. The memories of the past events were still very hazy but soon it all come back to her, hitting like a train. Shepherd he was, had been possessed taken over by a Reaper.

"No there has to be another way.." Garrus pleaded with rest of the crew.

"If we don't stop him now, everything is lost we have to, its the only way. Its what he would have wanted." They were planning on killing him, killing Shepherd to save the galaxy, to stop the monster that had taken him. She felt her heart tighten in fear, they wouldn't do that, it had would not have to killing him. Her brain argued that logic behind what the others were saying. Shepherd would rather let himself die than put the galaxy in danger. It was that very fact that filled her with a burning anger. Why him, why did always have to be him. He was the only one that always sacrificed anything, he was the one that always was hurt, dieing, giving. How much more could one man give before it was enough? How much suffering is enough? These were the questions that plagued her as Garrus pleaded with the rest of the crew. Though even his resolve waning in light the grim situation. Tali paid no heed to the calls for her stop, nor did she think about what she was doing. She just started to walked, limp as fast her legs would carry her. In the distance no more than one hundred feet away was Shepherd. His body, looked much like a possessed collector sickly glowing energy pouring from cracks in his armor. Once warm brown eyes she could stare into for hours where now burning coals of contempt and malice.

"He knows you, his will twist in fear the closer you come." Tali ignored the Reapers words reaching up and unlocking the air seals on her helmet. The smoke and air filled her lungs as tufts of sweat matted black hair fell into her eyes. She locked her gaze on the creature before her not an ounce of fear in her heart. "You come willing to your own demise."

"Shepherd, stop this please. Fight it." Tali pleaded silver eyes brimming thin wisp of tears. She saw the beast recoil, Shepherd was fighting back, pushing to gain his freedom, his body. "I'm never going to give up on you, no matter what. I believe in you so fight. Don't leave me again." The Reapers eyes widened Shepherd's will was not only getting stronger but it was fighting back.

**"Shepherd I... will... break... you." ** Pulling his hand back Tali did not make a move she knew what would come next. He had suffered enough for them, if this was what she had to do ease his pain then this is what she would do. The Reapers' hand pierced her chest finger tips cutting through her suit digging into the soft flesh beneath. The monster smiled as it felt is host will fade slowly as the life started to leave the girl. **"Foolish"** it said digging further Tali resisted the urge to scream grabbing his arm to hold herself up .

"Ever since I meet you all could do was watch. Watch you from behind a mask , watch you suffer and carry our burdens. Not once did you complain, you died saving Joker - saving all of us." Coughing she struggling to find the strength to continue a smile trickle of blood rolling out the corner of her mouth. "I wish not be born on the same day but to die on the same day." Reaching up with her free hand Tali gentle touch his face smiling softly, he was still there she could see, feel him, and hear him.

"All I could ever do is watch, I never had the courage to try and lift your burdens or even share them. I don't think you ever would let me. You care about all of us too much to do that, always putting me, the crew and others before yourself." Pulling herself to her feet his hand painful sliding from her chest blood now running freely from the wound. Tali rested her forehead on his the cracks in his skin slowly starting to faded. She could feel Shepherd slowly regaining control. "You're always saving me, in the alley behind Cora's Den, on Freedoms Progress, Haelstorm, the Alerai. I want to return the favor, I want to be the one to share your hopes, dreams, love, dreams and pain. So just this once I'll be one the to save to you... because I love you." the moment their lips met her vision faded to black.

Shepherd cradled her form in his arms as he fell to his knees, eyes lingering on the gaping hole in her chest. The hole left by his hand, pulling her close his face twisted in mask of grief , self pity and anger.

" Oh God, what have I done..." He whispered rocking gently as the rest of the crew rushed to their side.

It had been hours sense they returned, he had not even changed out of his armor. None of the crew had they sat outside of Medical in the Mess Hall silently none saying a word. Mordin and Chakwas had been in there operating on Tali for hours. Shepherd wait baited breath. Garrus by his side the Turian did not say anything he just remind silent placing a hand on his friends shoulder assuring him that all would be alright. Everyone looked up eyes pleading with for good news as Mordin walked out of Medical cleaning his hands. The Salarian doctor locked eyes with Shepherd for a moment before smiling.

"Tali 'Zorah will recover, resting peaceful. Bravery inspiring. Can she her if you wish." Before anyone could say anything Shepherd was in Medical at her bedside, his hand resting on the glass covering her bed. She was resting peaceful, smiling in her sleep. She was dreaming he knew that much, of what he did not know, what ever it was she was happy.

"You always had a heart bigger than your brain you know that." Shepherd whispered resting his head on the glass. "A very big special heart that found room for this beat up old vanguard."

"That she does, her heart is very special " Dr. Chakwas stated drawing Shepherds attention. "Life does have sense of irony, most human and quarian hearts are on the left side. Tali's heart , well her's is on the right side of her chest." Shepherd looked back down at her sleeping form thinking about what Chakwas had told him.

"Thank you for not giving on me." Shepherd gazed back down at her his eyes softening, someone up there must really like him to send her into his life. "I guess even hero's need their guardian angels."

_Seasons are changing and waves are crashing_ _and stars are falling all for us_ _days grow longer and nights grow shorter_ _I can show you I'll be the one._ _I will never let you fall_ _I'll stand up with you forever._ _I'll be there for you through it all,_ _even if saving you sends me to heaven._

Notes: This was just a thought that popped into my head while listening to your Guardian Angel by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. A cookie for the person who can guess the Anime where I pulled Tali's quote from, here is a hint: Think Lots of fan service.


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